Stage 5: Training to Compete

The players in this stage are generally around 16 - 19 years old for boys and around 15 - 18 years old for girls

Players are more likely to have committed themselves to rugby as their chief sport. They are more willing to invest a significant amount of time and energy to become successful. They are driven and are fiercely competitive with a greater capacity for all game related competencies. Players pay more attention to developing themselves as positional specialists in order to undertake their functional roles.

Players at this stage are capable of independent thinking and of taking greater responsibility while also contributing more toward problem solving.

The Coach - FACILITATES

Since players have the capacity for greater input, the role of the coach shifts towards facilitation. Allowing opportunity for opinions and problem solving is critical if players are to develop confidence and relative autonomy.

The coach will still need to employ teaching, challenging and guiding skills where appropriate. The emphasis should be on developing players’ ability to navigate rather than replicate.

The Game - OUTCOMES

The game becomes fiercely competitive with positional specialists influencing games, mini units and units well are synchronized and team play concentrates on reducing errors and maximizing success. The focus is on achieving desired outcomes with respect to attacking and defensive goals (team, unit, mini-unit).

Training to Compete Player Capacities

Technical Capacities

1

Evasion Skills

Refine Key Evasion Skills

Swerve

Sidestep

Speed

Under pressure

Decision making situations

2

Handling Skills

Continue To Develop Skills By Adding Pressure Through Decision Making Games

Refine Passing Skills

Improve length of pass range

Improve accuracy

Improve pace

Refine Catching Skills

Improve ability to take the pass from all heights and angles

Refine Scrum Half Passes

Improve length of pass range

Improve accuracy

Improve pace

3

Contact Skills - Defense

Improve Tackle Technique

Introduce Concepts

Offensive and defensive tackles

Use Momentum

Control

Body-awareness to create turnover opportunities

Leg drive

Use Martial Arts Techniques To Enhance Tackling Skills

Judo

Wrestling

Controlling the Ball in the Tackle

Passing the Ball During / After Tackle - Off Loading

4

Contact Skills - Attack

Reinforce Correct Ball into Tackle

Develop Decision Making at the Tackle

Off load in or before

Pass before

Pop

Place

Release

Emphasize Foot Work / Leg Drive in the Tackle to Create Movement onto the Ball

Dominance in the Tackle

Continuity of Possession

5

Scrum Skills

Basic Body Position

Stability

Safety

Core strength

Second row

Back row

Ball Carrier

Ball presentation

Gaining ground from the back of the scrum and attacking the opposition